Early Celtic Christianity in Ireland http://www.druidicdawn.org Early Celtic Christianity in Ireland with Maewyn Succat and ColmCille First published in Druidic Dawn Newsletter Aontach Winter Solstice 2008 To explore Colmcille, and his relationship to early Celtic Christianity, presents its own particular hitches, he is one of the many player's in the second wave of the evangelising process in Ireland. This particular period opened into the Golden Age with the introduction of scriptoriums enabled a lot of information to be preserved both in Latin and the native Gaelic language. All of which assists any student studying various aspects of the Celtic branch of the Indo European language group. The first wave introduced a Celtic style of Christianity undertaken by Maewyn Succat perhaps better know as St. Patrick today. There too is Naomh Bhríde – Bridget, associated with the attributes to the goddess of fire, which played an important part within her father’s beliefs and worldview. Both needs no introduction here, as they are both celebrated annually today. Prior to Maewyn Succat time there is an indication Palladius was sent from Auxerre, Gaul to Ireland by Pope Celestine, which is perhaps a little more controversial. Basically Palladius did not toe the line and advocated that human beings did not inherit the sins resulting from Adam’s fall from the Garden of Eden, in a biblical sense. This was to a degree tied in with an ongoing schism, between east and west Rome concerning the abstract nature of the Christian divinity being an ongoing intellectual theological debate. Although tied into the trinity aspect and the nature of God, the argument which only become settled in the twelfth century. At this present time information from the available sources to glean the effects that Palladius had within Ireland appear to be evasive. One of the legacies of St Patrick evangelising processes, relates to the recording of the customary folk practices of Ireland which created the 'Senchus Mor' or the Ancient laws. This commenced in 438 with the assistance from Lóegaire, the Sovereign King of Ireland at Tara, and a group of jurist, it became completed in 440AD. The Senchus Mor has gone through much copying and duplication, compared to the one available for study today. Overall the Brehon Law governed the whole of society from the Sovereign King to the non free, a society which was patriarchal orientated and top down. The Brehon laws also covered the position of the matriarch within its society.1 Similar to its predecessor the customary practices, both gave guidelines on the workings of cultural society and how it conducted itself. However one has to bear in mind it too contains an infusion of early Christian thought as well, but in harmony with the Celtic customary laws held in the 5th century. 1http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~irlkik/ihm/uinkings.htm#ireking http://www.libraryireland.com/SocialHistoryAncientIreland/I-IV-2.php Early Celtic Christianity in Ireland http://www.druidicdawn.org Brehon law enables a structural image to be recreated in Ireland prior to the birth of Colmcile born 60 years after Maewyn Succat - St Patrick. The society as indicated was tiled from the King or ardrigh, downwards in five layers of importance or ranks. Each of these was broken down further into subdivisions, for instance at the top was the King at Tara, however there were also many sub kings governing different areas throughout Ireland. The 'Senchus Mor' included all of these when relating to matters of their duties, rights and privileges, which the community society bestowed on them, they too had a responsibility too the community. This also referred to the Nobles; the non Nobles being people with property, the free man without property and finally the non-free. The whole law structure becomes interlinked into each other operating as what one might consider as a single collective unit today. Indeed the ard-righ held the Feis at Tara occurring at Samhain on every third year, various opinions suggest it was primarily a festival incorporating all the respective classes, on the other hand it has been indicated to incorporate a little more, as being an assembly for discussing issues affecting the whole island, inclusive of legal powers of reaffirming or adjusting the customary/brehon laws, which were not working. A change occurred one hundred and twenty years after the Brehon laws became written, Tara became abandoned by the ardrigh in 560, after Dermot, son of Fergus resided there. The position of High King still continued being held in one of the four territorial areas, yet interestingly this occurred during the life time of Colmcille. Perhaps it’s easy to speculate such changes could be connected to the evangelisation process of Ireland, but it’s likely to be more involved, rather than just a Christian Curse associated with St. Ruadhan of Lorrha in Tipperary being cited as the cause.2 It should be remembered Ireland is predominately governed by the indigenous beliefs and the old ways are predominate, with Christianity being a new way of perceiving the world establishing a foothold within the community. Subsequently what might be recorded here is more an association to who holds the more powerful magic, the old beliefs or the new. Such a generalisation for the abandonment of Tara may appear a simple one, but overall these things are often much more involved. Moving away from Tara each territorial kingships had their own individual residence where assemblies or courts were held, respective tribal (if that’s the correct word usage) or family clan and extended branches attended in accordance to the custom/law. However this was primarily for dealing with respective matters within the immediate area under which landownership was held for everyone’s benefit. The area in which Colmcille was born was held by the Northern Ui Neill having settled in present day Co. Donegal. The centre was at Magh Ithe the places of assembly can take on many forms depending on the regional geography and natural materials available to produce it structure. With the background in place Colmcille was born in 521, generally accepted to have been at Gartan, near Lough Gartan within Co. Donegal today. He was the son to Fedhlimidh (Phelim) and his mother is Eithne. The father linage or bloodline traced back to Niall of the Nine Hostages an 2 http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg00385.html Early Celtic Christianity in Ireland http://www.druidicdawn.org over-king in Ireland in 379-405, at the Bronze Age mound at Tara, with its internal spiral decorated standing stone. The naming of the mound upholds the continuation of Niall name in the landscape, insuring immortality in Ireland’s cognitive memory. His mother is Eithne and also of similar birth, being tenth in descent from Cathaeir Mor, king of Ireland.3 Colmcilles of noble birth; one might be able to briefly picture the world into which he became to know. As a member to a rirath family unit he would be entitled to more privileges than most of the population in accordance to his social status and bloodline. When the court bards recited his lineage it would reinforce his position in society and the social obligations owed to his bloodline by the community and indeed those which within the family line were unsettled or still to be paid to the community. The community would provide for the family unit via the law codes with the food and material supplied to the household for consumption. Similarly the rirath family unit would return and exercise their duties for the benefit of the community. There is no image or description of Colmcille appearance although it’s been creatively suggested he was a red headed Celt with an easily aroused temper.4 Likewise the opposite have been indicated of a placid and generous temperament. In turn it could be a mixture of them both. A great deal of the first seven years of his life is unknown but at the age of seven there is glimpse, when applying the customary laws. In 528 he reached the age of seven years male, members of noble birth became eligible for fostering. The customary/brehon laws cover various aspects of this, but one change which could have been introduced to this area in St Patrick time, relates to the first born of noble families being offered to the church. Specifically seeing the foster charge was undertaken by Cruithnechan who also became his tutor until the age of fourteen.5 Cruithnechan followed the christian tradition as it was understood at that time and became an influence in his future life pathway. Whether this was due to his mother who came from Leinster an area, where christianity was more prevalent and established could be an indication in the choice of foster parent.6 At the age of fourteen Colmcille would have reached manhood in 535, and the fostering period would come to its end. Cruithnechan no doubt instructed him well as the thrust for knowledge, which is often never satisfied even today, had taken hold. His foster father made arrangements for study to continue for Colmcille as a pupil under St. Finnian, a bishop at a christian establishment at Moville or Maghbile.7 It’s likely he learnt the art of meticulously copying religious works here. This 3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columba 4 www.law.ed.ac.uk/ahrc/gikii/docs2/corrigan.pdf 5 http://www.derrydiocese.com/stcolumba.asp 6 It might be worth mentioning there was no way of enforcing this law code and it becomes a choice which a family of rank made.